Table target game apparatus



Nov. 27, 195] J. L. WOSTREL TABLE TARGET GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29. 1949 Ava/ems r Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,576,326 I 7 TABLE TARGET G AME APPARATUS 7 7 Jerome L. Wostrel, Pico, Calif. I Application "August 29, 1949, Serial No. 112,978

Claims.

This invention relates to a game of skill played with quoits of the open-sided or horseshoe shaped type.

An important object of the game is to provide a mechanical means which, when a quoit has been projected into a position wherein it encircles a target forming post or pin, automatically lowers such quoit to a position wherein it will not obstruct the path of another, skillfully projected quoit so that the latter also may readily be caused to occupy an encircling relation to the target.

A more specific object is to provide, in combination with a table top which affords an elevated, horizontal platform with an opening through it, a plurality of horizontal vertically spaced apart plates the lower-most plate of which normally occupies said opening in a flush relation to the upper surface of said platform, an

upstanding target forming pin which passes through the space or spaces between said plates and upstands above the uppermost plate, and yielding meanssupporting said plates in such a manner that whenever a quoit is caused to occupy said opening its weight will depress the plate which it engages to a suflicient extent to lower the next higher plate to the level of said platform, so that a flat, unobstructed surface will be maintained around the target forming post.

Additional objects of the invention relate to the provision of a simplified means for arresting the upward movement of a mechanically raised, depressible quoit receiving plate when it reaches a flush, position around a target pin, in relation to the surface of a platform across which the quoits are thrown with a sliding movement; and also to provide superior elastic protectors for those parts .of the device against which the thrown quoits are likely to strike.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the complete apparatus, a midlength portion of the structure shown being broken out in order to contract the length of the view. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus, supported by ground or floor indicated in section thereunder, a midlength portion of the structure shown being broken away to contract the length of the view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental, longitudinal midsection, of the apparatus one end portion thereof being broken off to contract the length of the view, and only a fragment of one pair of legs being shown. In this view the automatic gravity controlled member is shown in normal position in full lines and in an operated position in broken lines.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3, illustrating the quoitsupporting plate in a normal, playing position, parts being broken out to contract the view and some central parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, and Fig. 6 is anend elevation of one of the horseshoe shaped quoits.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary vertical section on line Upon one end portion of said lever is adjustably' mounted a weight l9 which tends to rock the lever in such a manner as to maintain at'the upper limit of its movement an upstanding arm,

2| the lower end of which is operatively connected with the bifurcated end I'Ba of the lever by means of a pivot pin 22; A set screw |9a holds said weight in its adjusted position.

Said arm 2| operates in a guide sleeve 23 projecting integrally from the horizontal bottom of a broadly cup shaped member 24 having around its upper end a horizontal flange 25 attached to the platform ID in a surrounding relation to a circular opening 26 through said platform, the attaching means being shown as screws Returning to the arm 2|, said arm has a diametrically reduced portion 30 which produces an upwardly facing annular shoulder 3| around the arm. Said diametrically reduced part 30 has a terminal upward extension 32 which forms an externally screwthreaded stem upon which is screwed the target forming post or pin 33; said pin having a threaded socket 34 in its lower end to cooperate with said stem 32.

It is to be noted that said stem 33 cooperates with the part 39 of the arm 2| to form a second or upper annular shoulder 35. A lower quoit supporting plate 36 is provided having an apertured central portion which surrounds the arm portion 30 and rests upon the lower annular shoulder 3|, and an upper quoit supporting plate 3'! having an apertured central portion which underlies the lower part of the screwed on pin 33 and rests upon the upper annular shoulder 35. When said pin is screwed into place it clamps said plate 3'! between itself and said shoulder 35. However, before the upper plate 31 is applied ailower protecting rubber sleeve 38 is: slipped down overthe arm sectiontmandafter the upper plate 31 has been applied an upper lower end portion of the pin '33: lower horseshoe shaped quoit 4| is shown which has been projected by a player into anembracing relation to the sleeve 38, and an. upper quoit 4 2 is shown embracing the sleeve 39'.

After the other parts have been assembledla ing: relations to the target pin or post, but that,

upgto' the time the first'quoit is thus the weighted lever It will maintain the arm. 2| in its upper'position, so that the plates-3S carried therebyxwill'be flush with the upper-face of the platform Ill, the plates 36 and 3'! being vertically spaced; aparta sufficient distance freely to admit between them the first quoit that may be slid across the surface of thepl'atform ill in so skillfulamanner as to encounter the sleeve 38 open side rforemost. As soon as a quoit is played skillfully-enough to land upon theplate 35, itsweight willzdepress said plate in opposition to the weighted lever 55 and'causesaid plateto move down tothe positionshown in Fig-A, wherein it rests upon the bottom of'the cup 24 and does not cause. a further depression: of the-:arm 21, and in this position: of 'theparts' the upper'plate 31' is flush with-the 'upper surface of the platform it, where it isiin readiness to supportthe nextiquoit played.

Eachof the'quoit supporting. devices 55 is shown spaced a considerable distance from the end rail I2rof the part of thetablewhich it occupiesso that. there will: be spaces beyond. the. targets to support quoits projected'too forcibly across the platform:- IO, and a non-skid rubber sheet 45' isdesirably placed upon "the outer part of" each of:

these: spaces to lessen or preventthe. irnpactof therquoits against the'end rail l2. These spaces also afford room for marking ofi, by concentric circles an inner. 'zone146 and outer zone '41, around the target;

' A transverse line4'9; spaced inwardly from'e'ach of said .outer zonesmarks 'offfithe' inner limit of each space within which: a quoit' must land'to afford the player anycredit'.

In playing the game indoors'players grasp the table at which he is stationed.

As the playing of the game proceeds, the credits given to each player are rated according to the nearness to the targets at which each quoit stops. A credit score as follows is deemed desirable:

A ringer around the target pin (illustrated in Fig. 1) counts 6 points.

A quoit nota ringer but deposited on the plate 36 or'3'l within the zone 46' counts l'p'oints.

Quoit deposited upon zone 46 counts 3 points.

Quoitdeposited upon zone 41 counts 2 points.

Quoit'deposited upon area outside of zone 41 but between line 49 and inner edge of the facingGScounts 1 point.

I.v claim:

1. In a game apparatus of the class described,

I in: combination, a horizontal platform having an opening through it, a bracket supported by said platform and projecting downwardly: therefrom, a horizontally extending, lever rockably. supported between its ends by said bracket, a vertically: extending arm having a lower-end portionl pivotally connected with one end portion of said lever and its opposite end; portion projecting upward 1y through the aforesaid; opening: through said platform, two horizontal, vertically spaced apart plates mounted upon said arm", thBiIOWBI Of saidplates normally occupying. the aforesaid. opening through said platform with its upper face'flushwith the upper surface of the latter,- said' lever being weighted soas normally to support said lower plate in said 'position, and. a stop means carried by' said arm which cooperates withadjacent parts of the device'and prevents-said low-f er plate from being .moved upwardlyfrom its saidnormal position.

2. The; subject matter of claim 1, and said plates each having a centrally apertured portion; said arm being progressively diametrically. contracted from. below upwardly thus providing alower annular-shoulder upon which the-aper' tured part of the lower plate-rests and an'upper annular shoulder upon which the apertured part ofzthe-upper plate rests. g 7

3. game apparatus ofthe class described wherein quoits. are. used by the players, in com bination, a. horizontalplatform-having an opening through-it, abracket supported by said platform an'dprojecting downwardly therefrom, ahorizontally extending lever rockably' supported between itsi ends by said bracket, a vertically extending. arm: having its lowerend portion pivotally"'connected'to one-'end of saidlever; the

upper en'diporticn of said'a'rm' projecting through the aforesaid opening throughsaid' platform, the latter. end portionof said arm being-"diametrically reduced at two places; thus providing two spaced apart annular shoulders the upper of which is of less diameter'than'the lower', aho'rizon'tal lower plate resting. on said lower shoulder and"a= h'orizontal upper plate resting onsaidupper shoulder, said plates being small enough toiba-contained within said opening through. said platforma andbeing: spacedi far enough' apart to receive throwniouoits: between them the lower of said. plates normally being supported the aforesai ever in position wherein it occupies 1 op ning through said platform 1 withers-upper will l'ower said plaw-and the arm which carries 5 it to a position wherein the upper plate is flush with the upper surface of the platform.

4. The subject matter of claim 3, and the upper diametrically reduced part of said arm being screw-threaded, and a target forming pin having 5 a socketed end portion screw-threaded onto said arm, said pin clamping the aforesaid upper plate between itself and the upper of said annular shoulders.

5. The subject matter of claim 4, and an elastic sleeve surrounding the part of said arm between said plates.

JEROME L. WOSTREL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 694,121 Vaughan Feb. 25, 1902 961,714 Chase June 14, 1910 1,357,718 Jacobs Nov. 2, 1920 10 1,926,920 Smith Sept. 12, 1933 1,963,382 Reichard June 19, 1934 2,093,948 Allen Sept. 21, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 15 Number Country Date 11,214 Great Britain 1907 

